02. Mapping to an Autonumber Field

Salesforce Autonumber fields are automatically generated unique values assigned to each record when it's created. They follow a specific format and increment based on defined rules. Below are some use cases:

1. Unique Record Identifiers
   • Acts as a human-readable unique identifier without using complex record IDs.
   • Example: CUST-0001, CUST-0002 for Customer records.
2. Custom Case or Ticket Numbers
   • Helps track and reference cases, tickets, or service requests.
   • Example: CASE-1001, CASE-1002 in Customer Support.
3. Invoice or Order Numbers
   • Used in financial transactions where a sequential number is required.
   • Example: INV-20240001, INV-20240002 for Invoices.
4. Project or Task Management
   • Helps track projects, milestones, or tasks with a systematic numbering scheme.
   • Example: PROJ-001, TASK-001-001 (Task under Project 1).
5. Product or Asset Identification
   • Helps track inventory items or assets with a unique number.
   • Example: ASSET-0001, PROD-2024-001.

Salesforce Autonumber fields offer several advantages when working with TaroWorks, making them a great choice for unique record identification and tracking. Here are the key benefits:

1. Ensures Unique Identification
   • Guarantees each record has a distinct, non-repeating value, reducing duplicate records.
   • Example: Every case, invoice, or product gets a unique number automatically.
2. Reduces Manual Effort
   • Eliminates the need for users to manually assign record numbers, saving time, when creating new records.
3. Improves Data Integrity
   • Since the values are system-generated and non-editable, they ensure data consistency.
   • Prevents accidental overwrites or incorrect entries when updating existing records
4. Enhances Search in the DDH
   • Provides a structured way to reference records, making it easier to search.
   • Example: You can search all Orders starting with "ORD-20..".

Normally the Autonumber field is read only - you cannot change the content because the next counter number is fixed by a formula - however TaroWorks allow you to map to it primary as an Id Field to update existing records. Please note the following behaviours when you map a question to an Autonumber field:

• Once you have mapped a question to an Autonumber field, that field will automatically become the ID field. When you unmap the question, the ID field will revert to blank.
• When you map a Question to an Autonumber field, the Question becomes required. When you unmap the Autonumber field then the Question reverts to be optional.
• Should the value you enter into the mapped question when creating a new record not match any records, TaroWorks will attempt to create a new record using the next Autonumber. This reduces the chance of having the job not being able to sync.
• Should the value you enter into the mapped question when updating an existing record not match any records, TaroWorks will display an error message stating the record referencing the unique identifier wasn't found. This reduces the chance of updating the wrong record and compromising data integrity.